RED = needs to get in on speed, not Top 35 2008 Owners PointsBLUE = not Top 35 2008 Owners Points but has a Past Champions Provisional Available
# means Rookie of the Year candidate.

NASCAR's Competition Department distributes entry blanks for each race to owners in the series.
Those entries must be returned before the deadline, which is set 13 days in advance of the event.
When the entry is received by Competition, the car is added to the entry list.
There is an inspection fee for each entry.

After the 5th race of the season, the current season OWNERS points are used:
#1) - First 35 by current Owner Points [team does not have to attempt all the races]
#2) - Last Years Cup Champ or the Event Champion if not already in the field
#3) - Car Owners whose team has won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#4) - Drivers who have won in the previous and current season not already in the field
#5) - Past Nextel Cup Champions not in by 1 thru 4
#6) - Qualifying Attempts with Owners points as the tie breaker
#7) - Qualifying Order Position
(all above apply as long as the team was entered by the entry deadline - usually 7-13 days before the race)

Top-35 in Owner Points and guaranteed a starting spot at Michigan:
#84-Allmendinger is in top 35 first time ever; #66-Riggs falls back out and down to 37th
The teams are NOT locked in past the next race as the owners points change after each race.
31) #7-Gordon/RGM: 1770 +109
32) #22-Blaney/Bill Davis Racing: 1767, +106
33) #55-Waltrip/Waltrip Racing: 1682 +21
34) #77-Hornish/Penske Racing: 1674 +13
35) #84-Allmendinger/Red Bull Racing: 1669 8 points ahead of 36ththese teams/ drivers must qualify by speed but are close to the top-35:
36) #00-McDowell/Waltrip Racing: 1661 8 points out of 35th
37) #66-Riggs/Haas CNC Racing: 1616 -53
38) #10-Carpentier/GEM: 1469 -200
For the owner points standings, see my Drivers/Owners Points Standings page.(8-10-2008)

Go or Go Home Drivers to Qualify Together: NASCAR announced in January that starting with the Cup race at California, teams outside the top 35 in owners points will be allowed to qualify together at the end of the qualifying session. The Nationwide and Truck Series used this procedure at Daytona. Sprint Cup didn't use the new procedure at Daytona due to the unique/somewhat complicated qualifying session/races there. The thought is that nobody would have an advantage in track conditions.(2-19-2008)

Past Champions Limited To 6 Provisional Berths in Cup: NASCAR announced an update to the past champion’s provisional rule in the Nextel Cup Series for 2007. Beginning this season, a past champion’s provisional may be used by an eligible driver a maximum of six times over the course of the season. In addition, a team with a past champion eligible driver may only use this provisional a maximum of six times during a season. Previously, there was no limit on usage of the past champion’s provisional over the course of the 36-race season. The provisional gives the eligible driver the 43rd and final starting position in the race field. "As NASCAR seeks to place more emphasis on competition, we have decided the time is right to limit the number of provisionals allowed,” said NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. “We believe this revision brings the provisional policy in line with the continued growth of the sport.”(NASCAR PR)
This is only for a team/driver OUTSIDE the top-35 in owners points, drivers whose team is in the top-35 in owners points, would already be guaranteed in the field and not need the Past Champions Provisional.(1-31-2007)
See my 2008 Past Champions Provisional Page for more.(2-8-2007)

What happens if qualifying gets rained out?

If it is the first 5 races of the season, the previous season OWNERS points are used:

#1) - Previous season Owner Points [position 1-35][team does not have to attempt all the races]
#2) - Race winners from the previous and current season not already in the field
#3) - Past Nextel Cup Champions not in by 1 or 2
#4) - Current season Owner Points [Top 35][not in by rules 1-3]
#5) - Current season race attempts ties broken by current owners points standings [not in by rules 1-4]